Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

Recently there have been some discussions within the corporation related to our future home and whether we maintain the existing C2 wormhole that we have.  We have come to a decision regarding that, but the part of this story which is impacted by our discussions were the fact that I strayed off of some of the core concepts that have driven our corporation since day one.

I took a moment on Monday to pause, formulate some thoughts, put pen to paper as it were and to open a discussion among the corp members as to their home.  This was the two steps forward.  It started a very interesting discussion among corp members and many opinions came out that I honestly were surprised in.  I went to bed on Tuesday evening fairly clear that we had a mandate from our corp members as to what should be done with the C2 hole and I felt I could make an announcement today.

I woke up early on Wednesday, grabbed my iPhone and was greeted by the following:

Loss mail

We had a new war which had started on Monday.  The war was pretty much a high sec war involving a group who generally campe trade system undocks, trade route bottlenecks and the like.  We had taken what we felt were appropriate precautions and warned members to avoid those areas.

Now, you would generally think that most members who have been informed that there is a high sec war will proceed with caution if you are navigating high security space.  You generally would fly in a cloaky (Covert Ops Capable) ship or failing that a very fast frigate such as a T1 tackler (atron, condor, executioner, slasher) or even better an Interceptor.  We do not prohibit members from traveling into high sec during these wars.  We basically state that trade systems are off limits.  This is primarily due to the ability of the war targets to lock and shoot you instantly as soon as you undock.

Even more distressing about this kill is that this is a member of the corporation who has been with us since our first week.  He can fly covert ops capable ships as well as larger ships.  Basically, he is experienced enough to know better.

Unfortunately, following the loss yesterday this member made no mention of it in our leadership channels.  There is no post on the forums to explain the circumstances of his loss.  Basically, we are all left wanting more information outside of him losing his ship to a war target.

One of our core principles is to teach new pilots to the game or to exploration.  We have always stressed that killboard colors are not the end of the world, and that we do not purge members for losing a ship.  However, what we have always stressed is the need to constantly learn.

When a member loses a ship.  We expect that they would write up a summary of the loss on our forums.  Explain the circumstances that lead to the loss.  What could you have done better?  What would you change in the future?  Basically, how do you minimize the potential of incurring that loss in the future.

One step back.

Galvanization

One of the effects of our recent war declaration by The Bastards. was a call to arms from our charismatic leader Rixx Javix.

You see, A Band Apart. is a very different alliance from any others that you will see in the game of EVE.  We have multiple corporations that all tend to go off and do their own things.

• Stay Frosty - The original corporation of the alliance and low security space pirate corporation.  however, even though they are a pirate corporation you will frequently find their pilots off conducting solo pvp and not very large amounts of small gang or coordinated activities.
• Lucifer's Hammer - The corporation who has members conducting mission running, mining, manufacturing, and any other activities which take place in high security space.
• Voodoo Children - Wormhole corporation, along with mission running, pvp.
• SUPREME MATHEMATICS - Wormhole corporation who reside in a C4 hole.
• New Jovian Exploration Department - Exploration/Wormhole corporation who train newbies to explore and live in wormholes.

The great part about A Band Apart (ABA) is that you the individual pilot can elect to do anything you want on any particular day.  Feel like scratching that low sec pvp itch?  Spend a weekend with SF down in The Citadel.  Want to run some missions in high sec and get some LP for a faction?  Go spend an afternoon with LH in high sec.  And, if you are looking for fat loot that is available in wormholes, the wormhole corporations have an open door and a spare bed for you to use for a day tripping into the hole.  We are different, but this is one of the greatest qualities of this alliance.

So, the declaration was sent via CCP mail and one of the first interesting things identified was a low sec pirate corporation declaring war on another one.  However, a bit of context was placed onto the declaration via Ithica's blog post last week:

Still not entirely sure exactly the reason for the declaration, but Nashh Kadavr provided some additional context on the first day that the war kicked off:

Now, some individuals who are involved in this war have failed to grasp the comment that Nashh has given.  The interpretation from the my point of view and of others in ABA is that The Bastards are providing content to ABA via this war declaration.  Yet, when we seek this content or actually look for their pilots to provide it we are left wanting.

The one piece of this war that is a true positive is the galvanization of ABA, it's corporations, the leadership and the individual line pilots.  I am not sure if Nashh or The Bastards intended that or thought that it might occur, but for whatever reason we are a much stronger, resilient cohesive group of pilots and corporations.  We are teaching members to fly ships they have never had to previously.  We are losing ships and killing ships, but morale remains high among membership.  Individual members have expressed enthusiasm during this war and seek to inflict losses upon The Bastards.

Galvinize - shock or excite (someone), typically into taking action

For your part in this galvanization, I say thank you to Nashh and The Bastards.  Still seems silly for one low sec group to declare war on another, but vOv.  We still are looking for that content, but for now we remain satisified with the after effect of you galvanizing ABA.

o7